In the Economist Magazine’s article on China’s problem of academic “brain drain” (wherein China’s brightest students and professors permanently leave the country for foreign institutions), IEMS’ David Zweig details some of the efforts undertaken by the Chinese government to stem the flow of its academic talent, and how these efforts have failed on several fronts.

As quoted in the article, David Zweig states:

Nearly 75% of Chinese nationals who were lured by the “thousand-talent” programme launched in 2008 [designed to lure prestigious foreign professors to Chinese institutions] did not give up tenure elsewhere. Such schemes have often bought reputation rather than better research. They typically target full professors whose more productive, innovative years may already be behind them. They also favour experts in science, technology and management; the Communist Party is less interested in attracting scholars in more politically controversial fields.